Lots of inconsistency in the way double touches were being called. Also hitters hitting the ball into the tape were being called touches on blockers when the balls clearly never were touched. One instance in particular too - a player hit a ball off the antenna, the ball went back into play, and then the ball was hit over the net. It didn’t just graze it; the ball literally ricocheted back to the middle of the court. Nothing was called.

Lots of inconsistency in the way double touches were being called. Also hitters hitting the ball into the tape were being called touches on blockers when the balls clearly never were touched. One instance in particular too - a player hit a ball off the antenna, the ball went back into play, and then the ball was hit over the net. It didn’t just graze it; the ball literally ricocheted back to the middle of the court. Nothing was called.

FWIW Chief, I can tell you a couple of things make this situation much worse than it should be. I've seen a good number of schools with very loose nets and while they are at the proper height, a loose net makes calling 4 touch situations where the ball is at the net (along with a bunch of hands) much harder than it should be. We're always told to give the players the benefit of the doubt when making a call (or non call). Be sure you saw four touches (hits) and if a touch (hit) was at the net (especially near the top) with a lot of hands in proximity, be real sure you did NOT see a touch from the opponent before making the call for four hits. That's a long way of saying the equipment (the net in this case) does matter and a good net should be tight - not bouncing around.

Doubles are always a bone of contention as well because the rules are different for any first ball over the net as opposed to the second and third touch for a team (the criteria are much more strict for a second and third touch). I lost count this year of people who yelled "you can't double the first ball over the net" not realizing that a player CAN have multiple contacts with any first ball over the net but may NOT make two distinct attempts to play a ball. The problem here is the proper signal for both of these violations is the same but fans sometimes forget to differentiate.

Going back to loose nets for a moment, they also make for antennas that can really wave about when a ball is hit into the net. That too makes for a more difficult situation for the referee. But as you note, balls touching the antenna are dead immediately and should be called.

I guess I'm writing this as much to say that those of us in the referee community see the inconsistency within our own community and try to help correct the problem, but we get no assistance from the AHSAA save a memo or two. It is frustrating when what should be a fairly easy to define standard (lifts, doubles) is so wildly interpreted from referee to referee that it cannot help the coaches, players or fans.

And to close, given the location of the state playoffs this year, and AHSAA's policies in selecting the referees, there was no assurance of getting the best referees - just the ones who were available at the times needed and willing to work under the conditions. That is not meant to be an excuse but it does effect the number, and quality of referee available for post season play when matches begin throughout the work day.

Thanks for that. For clarification, the double touches were enforced, or not, on sets. It wasn’t a case of a dig hitting the hands and then, say, the chest. One team was given much more leeway than the other, with regard to the ball spinning when it left the setter’s hand(s). Very frustrating, especially with stakes being high and the margin for error being so thin in games of that magnitude.

Thanks for that. For clarification, the double touches were enforced, or not, on sets. It wasn’t a case of a dig hitting the hands and then, say, the chest. One team was given much more leeway than the other, with regard to the ball spinning when it left the setter’s hand(s). Very frustrating, especially with stakes being high and the margin for error being so thin in games of that magnitude.

I definitely hear you on this as the one thing players from both teams need most from a referee is consistency. Yes, knowledge of the rules is just as important but players can usually adjust if a referee presents a consistent interpretation of what does / does not constitute a lift or a double.

In my case, I know I tried to tighten up on doubles this year as I thought I was too lenient in previous years. I'm still not sure I got it 'right', but I do think I got closer to 'right'. This leads to another big problem - with the season now over, it will be 10 months before I call another match. By the time I feel like I am getting my volleyball sense attuned again, half the season will be over again. I know this means I should go find some club VB action to keep the skills sharp but there just isn't enough time to do all we should.

Let me turn the focus on this to Maumelle (even though this is a 3A thread...) - how does their future look? Staying in the Central will not do them any favors come playoff time but if they step up their non conference matches it can help keep them competitive. Are the Maumelle girls young? Lots of players? I did not see Maumelle this year....

I had a sneaking feeling that Paris was going to do it again, and they did. They needed another hitter to go with Hardwicke and got it with Inman.

Very impressed with the way they could get a hitter set from nearly anywhere.

But now those two along with some other good senior talent graduate. They do get a setter, a middle and the libero back. And their incoming sophomore class has loads of potential.

Ashdown battled hard, but just not enough firepower. The Thompson girl (#14) is a beast.

I could see Fountain Lake contending next year; they got to the semis with a very young team. Charleston is another young team that made a lot of noise and will have nearly everyone back. And of course the good teams from the NE like Hoxie and Walnut Ridge will be back as well.

Been a very good and interesting season. Catch y'all over on the basketball board.

Ashdown did not play at the same level they have been playing, I think the nerves got to them. I say this not to take anything away from Paris. It was going to be a tough battle no matter how good we played. I think if we would have gotten past the 3rd set we had a chance.

Ashdown will be good again next year, but will definitely miss the two seniors. Our other girls got better all year.

Because you ran your mouth about Paris's coach and then changed it. It makes you look like a white speck.

I will address this now. When we attended the Paris tournament a few weeks ago, the Paris coach and the former Paris coach was in the general population stands really running down the Ashdown girls/team. If she feels the need to do this she should be in her office or locker room not in the general population not knowing who is around her. I personally thing this is a very low class move.

I took it down because it wasn’t the time to use the information, I hoped our team would use it as motivation.

I will address this now. When we attended the Paris tournament a few weeks ago, the Paris coach and the former Paris coach was in the general population stands really running down the Ashdown girls/team. If she feels the need to do this she should be in her office or locker room not in the general population not knowing who is around her. I personally thing this is a very low class move.

I took it down because it wasn’t the time to use the information, I hoped our team would use it as motivation.

Other than this, I enjoyed my trips to Paris.

If you wanted to use it as motivation maybe you should've left it up. That was my only point. Btw, I personally think it's a very low class move as well.